Sealing means



Sept. 8, 1931. w. MQBROOKS 1,822,390 I SEALING MEANS Filed Jan. 30,- 1931 nventoz Win/red M. Brmjrs 351 1113 GHQ (Mm;

Patented Sept. 8, 193.1

uNrrEo STATES WINFRED M. BROOKS, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY SEALING MEANS Application filed January 30,. 1931.

The present invention relates to seals, particularly of the type employing a piercing member intended to tag poultry or the like, although I desire it to be understood that its utility is not confined to poultry seals.

The main object and feature of the invention is the production of a seal capable of being manipulated with one hand and which, as far as possible, cannot be unlocked after it have been sealed, or, if unlocking should be attempted, will constitute a telltale.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is disclosed in a concrete and preferred form in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a strip of sheet material as blanked out preparatory to the bending operation;

Fig. 2 is an edge View showing how the blank is bent preparatory to use;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but in section showing the locking member passing through the deflecting opening;

Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3 show- 3- ing the parts when the locking member has passed completely through the deflecting opening; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the locking member in final position.

A strip of sheet material 1 is provided with a bending zone 2 intermediate its ends. One end of said strip is provided with an opening 3, the wall 4 of which constitutes a deflecting member. The other end of said strip is provided with a resilient locking member (here also a piercing member) 5 connected to said strip by means of a neck or weakened portion 6. The locking member is of a thickness almost as great as the width of opening 3, and neck 6 is of a length suncient to permit locking member 5'to pass completely through opening 3. It will be observed that opening 3 and wall 4c are" curved transversely of the strip, and that looking member 5 is likewise curved trans- Serial No. 512,443.

versely of the strip but on a radius difu ferent from that oi wall 4C. The stripis bent preliminarily into the form shown in Fig. 2. Thereafter the object to be sealed (say a turkey wing) is broughtbetweeube sealed and then into and through opening 3. In passing through this opening, member 5 will become temporarily deformed owing to the difference in curvature (or other shape) of Wall 4; and member 5, but

as soon as said member 5 has passed completely through opening 3, it will reassume its original shape, or click back, thus preventing its return through opening 3. This position of the parts is indicated in Fig. 4.

Another finger of the hand may now be; brought into play whereby neck 6 may be bent to cause the locking member to lie flat agamst one end of the strip, as shown in Fig. 5.

It will now be understood that, should it I.

be attempted to unlockthe seal, it willbe impossible to return member 5 throughopcning 3, and that, if the attempt is persisted in, neck 6 will break thereby leaving evidence of tampering.

I claim:

1. A. sea]. including: a strip of sheet mate- I strip having an opening the wall of which is curved transversely of the strip to constitute a deflecting member, and the other end of said strip having a resilient locking member of a thickness almost as great as the width of the opening aforesaid, said locking member extending at an angle to the strip and connected thereto by a neck of a length sutlicient to permit the locking member to pass completely through the opening, said locking member being curved transversely but on a radius diilferent from that of the wall of the opening constituting the deflecting member, whereby when said strip is bent in the plane of its bending zone the locking member passes through the opening of the deflecting member and in so doing is temporarily deformed transversely, said locking member substantially reassuming its original shape when it has passed completely through said opening thereby preventing its return through said opening but admitting of its neck being bent to cause it to lie flat against that end of the strip having the openin 2. A seal including: a strip of sheet material having a bending zone intermediate its ends admitting of said opposed ends being brought toward each other, one end of said strip having an opening the w ll of which constitutes a deflectim member, and the other end of said strip having a resilient locking member of a thickness almost as great as the width of the opening aforesaid and capable of temporary deformation when passing through the opening, whereby when said locking member reassumes substantially its original shape after it has passed through said opening it is prevented from returning through said opening.

3. A seal including: a strip of sheet material having a bending zone intermediate its ends admitting of said opposed ends being brought toward each other, one end of said strip having an opening the wall of which is curved transversely of the strip to constitute a deflecting member, and the other end of said strip having a resilient piercing member of a thickness almost as great as the width of the opening aforesaid and extending at an angle to the strip and connected thereto by a neck of a length suflieient to permit the piercing member to pass completely through the opening, said piercing member being curved transversely but on a radius different from that of the wall of the opening constituting the deflecting member, whereby when said strip is bent in the plane of its bending zone the piercing member passes through the opening of the defleeting member and in so doing is temporarily deformed transversely, said piercing member substantially reassuming its original shape when it has passed completely through said opening thereby preventing its return through said opening but admitting of its neck being bent to cause it to lie flat against that end of the strip having the opening.

4;. A seal including: a strip of sheet material having a bending zone intermediate its ends admitting of said opposed ends being brought toward each other, one end of said strip having an opening the wall of which constitutes a deflecting member, and the \VINFRED M. BROOKS. 

